This weekend, we will be seeing a less than powerhouse team of Russia battle it out with Croatia for a place in the FedCup World Group I. Russia will be headed by Elena Dementieva while Karolina Sprem leads Croatia.

Dementieva will be joined by youngsters Anna Chakvetadze, Elena Vesnina and Vera Dushevina in trying to keep their World Group status this weekend. Dushevina was part of last year's FedCup team which defeated France in the finals but did not play any of the rubbers. Chakvetadze and Vesnina on the other hand are both FedCup rookies.

Team Croatia will be led by Karolina Sprem together with Ivana Lisjak, Sanja Ancic and Matea Mezak. Sanja Ancic is the little sister of ATP's Mario Ancic. Sprem, currently ranked No. 49, is the only player of the team inside the Top 100.

It is right to expect that Elena Dementieva is the Singles No. 1 player of Team Russia given the composition of the team. I can't help though but be baffled by Shamil Tarpischev's decision of not putting Safina, Kuznetsova or even Kirilenko on the team. This is by far oone of the weakest FedCup teams fielded by Russia in recent years. But even though this is the case, this team is more than enough to beat Team Croatia.

Dementieva has never faced anyone from Team Croatia before. This will be the first time she plays against Karolina Sprem. Sprem is notably known for her defeat of Venus Williams in Wimbledon a couple of years ago and she is a very dangerous player especially when she's on. Sprem has been having a career slump in the past year or so and she hasn't been in the form that brought her to her career-high No. 17 in 2004.

With only Sprem as a possible danger, I don't see any reason why Russia would lose this tie. I think Russia will go away with this one at 5-0, or 4-1 at most.